Senior travel: Marrakech
An easier pace for an older traveller: how many stops fit in a day, which places are step-free, and what the guide says about getting around, medicines and stairs.
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Pace for a day
About 3 stops a day. 5 h out − 45 min rest, divided by an average visit of 52 min (from this city’s guide) + 30 min to move.
Places, easiest access first
- Koutoubia Mosque and gardensStep-free: yes · about 30 minNone of note.
- Ben Youssef MadrasaStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 40 minSteep stairs to the upper rooms.
- Saadian TombsStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 40 minShort steps at the entrance and into the chambers.
- Bahia PalaceStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 60 minSmall steps at most doorways.
- El Badi PalaceStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 60 minSteps to the terraces and the roof.
- Le Jardin SecretStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 60 minTower stairs are steep and narrow.
- Jardin MajorelleStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 75 minA few steps at pools and buildings.
Getting around in Marrakech
The medina is hard going on wheels: lanes are uneven and shared with mopeds, and riads have steep stairs. Gueliz, the Majorelle garden and newer hotels are much easier. Book a riad with a ground-floor room and a gate a car can reach.
- Lanes and surfaces:
- Uneven stone and rammed earth, kerbs and mopeds; a wheelchair is rarely practical inside the medina.
- Getting around:
- Petit taxis take a folding wheelchair in the boot; pre-book a car for a wheelchair-friendly ride.
- Riads:
- Most have stairs and no lift; ask for a ground-floor room and photos of the entrance.
- Toilets:
- Accessible toilets in malls and larger hotels; rare in the medina.
- Crossings:
- Few crossings signalled; drivers do not always yield, so ask someone to cross with you.
Medicines and health on the ground
The Morocco guide lists no medicine paperwork. Check the official customs page for your medicines.
- Heat:
- May–Sep: shade and water every hour, no midday walks, a hat and sunscreen. Heatstroke is the most common visitor problem.
- Food and water:
- Bottled or filtered water only. Choose busy stalls with fast turnover; raw salads in cheap places can upset stomachs.
- Stomach bugs:
- Travellers' diarrhoea is common: carry oral rehydration salts and see a doctor for a fever or blood in the stool.
- Rabies:
- Do not pet stray dogs or cats. After any bite or scratch, wash the wound and seek treatment the same day at a clinic.
- Sun and altitude:
- At the Atlas passes and Imlil the sun is strong; drink more than you think.
- Insurance:
- Travel insurance with medical cover is advised; some private clinics ask for a deposit.
More: how much medicine to pack, medicine times across time zones.
Ask your insurer
Age limits and prices differ by policy and the guides do not hold them, so put these to the insurer before you buy.
- What is the oldest age the policy covers, at purchase and on the last day of the trip?
- Does the price or the cover change after a certain age?
- Are existing conditions covered, and what must be declared?
- Does the cover include medical evacuation and trip interruption?
Not medical advice. This page does not know anyone’s health. Ask a doctor before the trip, and carry a list of medicines and conditions.